They booked lots of acts back then that they wouldn't today. There seemed to be more of an effort to be trendy and cool then as opposed to now, which is more ratings driven.

I browsed through the old SNL episodes when Netflix first started streaming them, and I couldn't believe some of the musicians they had on there back in the 70s. I can't remember the last time they had anyone interesting on there.

Those assholes on SNL thought they were so cool and hip BUT they treated Zappa the same way the mainstream media did - as a total freak. Look at the opening bit with Belushi playing the head of NBC. SNL booked guests based on notoriety as opposed to real talent. They had no clue why Zappa was an important guest to have on their show. Look at how his musical spots were filmed. They didn't have a clue. Lorne Michaels is an incredible pompous asshole with no taste in music or comedy. Look at who they book now!

If they were really as cool as they thought they were - they would have found more interesting things for Frank to do on the show! Belushi on the Purple Lagoon was a start - but what a waste of a musical genius as both a host and musical guest.

I don't think that's a fair assessment at all. You don't think they were playing it tongue-in-cheek with the Belushi bit? Besides, even if they "had no clue why Zappa was an important guest to have on their show" (which is a bit presumptuous), and least they were willing to take the chance and have him on.

As for the "worst host ever" talk, anyone will tell you that working on SNL is really hard work, so I can completely understand the show not being amused by a host intentionally fucking things up. As a Zappa fan, it's fun watching him goof off, but I totally get why the cast and writers would be pissed off at him.

Those assholes on SNL thought they were so cool and hip BUT they treated Zappa the same way the mainstream media did - as a total freak. Look at the opening bit with Belushi playing the head of NBC. SNL booked guests based on notoriety as opposed to real talent. They had no clue why Zappa was an important guest to have on their show. Look at how his musical spots were filmed. They didn't have a clue. Lorne Michaels is an incredible pompous asshole with no taste in music or comedy. Look at who they book now!

If they were really as cool as they thought they were - they would have found more interesting things for Frank to do on the show! Belushi on the Purple Lagoon was a start - but what a waste of a musical genius as both a host and musical guest.

I don't think that's a fair assessment at all. You don't think they were playing it tongue-in-cheek with the Belushi bit? Besides, even if they "had no clue why Zappa was an important guest to have on their show" (which is a bit presumptuous), and least they were willing to take the chance and have him on.

As for the "worst host ever" talk, anyone will tell you that working on SNL is really hard work, so I can completely understand the show not being amused by a host intentionally fucking things up. As a Zappa fan, it's fun watching him goof off, but I totally get why the cast and writers would be pissed off at him.

Well put. The whole point of SNL from the beginning was not to play to the cameras. Frank fails BIG time on this; funny for a Zappa fan, but not funny for anyone else. So I can understand why the cast was very annoyed by him.

They booked lots of acts back then that they wouldn't today. There seemed to be more of an effort to be trendy and cool then as opposed to now, which is more ratings driven.

I browsed through the old SNL episodes when Netflix first started streaming them, and I couldn't believe some of the musicians they had on there back in the 70s. I can't remember the last time they had anyone interesting on there.

They recently had Them Crooked Vultures. They did a very good job. In a sketch on the show they had Dave Grohl play the drummer in a wedding band where the grey-haired father (Jason Sudekis) of the bride joins and play a song from his youth, and apologizes if the old music will embarrass the young couple. It turns out to be a hard-core punk tune, where they completely trash up the place. Its hilarious.

They booked lots of acts back then that they wouldn't today. There seemed to be more of an effort to be trendy and cool then as opposed to now, which is more ratings driven.

I browsed through the old SNL episodes when Netflix first started streaming them, and I couldn't believe some of the musicians they had on there back in the 70s. I can't remember the last time they had anyone interesting on there.

They recently had Them Crooked Vultures. They did a very good job. In a sketch on the show they had Dave Grohl play the drummer in a wedding band there the grey-haired father (Jason Sudekis) of the bride joins and play a song from his youth, and apologizes if the old music will embarrass the young couple. It turns out to be a hard-core punk tune, where they completely trash up the place. Its hilarious.

Saw that. It was funny. I actually think SNL has been of pretty high quality recently. The sketches anyway. I don't have much interest in most of the music but then again I'm not in their target audience (18-30 yr. olds I would imagine).

While watching the episode from December 13, 1975 with Richard Pryor as host, I heard Peaches in the background for the commercial transition music. I'm thinking it was the Fillmore version. At approximately 27:10.

I just got the DVD out, and you sir are correct.

While going through the rest of the 1st Season, I found that they played Peaches in the transitions, I believe, 3 more times. I wrote down the times, but then lost the sheet I wrote it on. I'm thinkin that it was the shows with Desi Arnaz, Ron Nessen and Buck Henry. Anyway, SNL sure loved FZ before he pissed them off!

I'm 6 episodes in to the 2nd season (still pre-Frank) and I've heard it two more times.

_________________One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.

I too am working my way through the old SNLs (in order). I have not yet gotten to Frank's 2nd appearence/hosting, but I can easily say that the "worst host ever" has to be the old lady that won the "anyone can host SNL" contest. A nice enough lady, but clearly, not anyone can host........

_________________"Why do people say "Grow some balls"? Balls are weak and sensitive! If you really wanna get tough, grow a vagina! Those things take a pounding"! -- Betty White

I too am working my way through the old SNLs (in order). I have not yet gotten to Frank's 2nd appearence/hosting, but I can easily say that the "worst host ever" has to be the old lady that won the "anyone can host SNL" contest. A nice enough lady, but clearly, not anyone can host........

Well, like I said above I'm only a bit into the 2nd season, but Louise Lasser was the pits. "Talk talk talk talk talk talk I don't know what's going on"

_________________One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.

Okay, just saw the one Frank hosted on my march through the first five seasons. It's my second time seeing it, the first being about five years ago. And I can see why they didn't like what Frank was doing in their sketches and I suppose that it can be upsetting when he changed from dress rehearsal to what he did. But - he's only in two sketches in the whole show - The Coneheads and Night On Freak Mountain. The rest of the time he's with the band. What he did in those two sketches were comparably a small part of the show. There were a couple of other sketches that were pretty bad also. I guess something else must have been going on behind the scenes in addition to what was seen for them to have such a low opinion.

_________________One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.

Frank Zappa was unpopular with the cast and crew through both rehearsals and taping of the episode, possibly in part due to the fact that their lax views on drug and alcohol consumption did not mesh with his rigid anti-drug stance

Quote:

Throughout the episode, he regularly mugged for the camera and frequently noted to the audience that he was reading from cue cards.[1] During the "Goodnights" segment, most of the cast stood with their backs turned away from the musician.[1] Following the episode, he was banned from Saturday Night Live and would not appear on the program again before his death in 1993.[

In my march through, the FZ epsiode is next, so I am looking forward to it.

_________________"Why do people say "Grow some balls"? Balls are weak and sensitive! If you really wanna get tough, grow a vagina! Those things take a pounding"! -- Betty White

I'm 5 episodes into season 6. Beefheart was okay. Season 6 has not been horrible at all. I mean, there's been several REALLY bad skits, some good, and some near great. And Eddie Murphy was THE man from his very first appearance.

_________________One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.

how are you watching season 6 with the musical guests intact? i think netflix has (or had) all the seasons though heavily edited (some episodes are 20-30 min.) with musical guests completely missing.

A guy I know from the internet sent me a DVD with the complete episodes. Where he got it....I don't know. They look to be recorded mostly from the old Comedy Channel (which merged with Ha! to form Comedy Central.) They even left in the line that got Charles Rocket fired. ("I'd like to know who the fuck did it.") I was wondering how that could be, but the Comedy Channel was owned by HBO, so there probably wasn't any censoring.

_________________One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.

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